Hey Beautiful People! My name is Karl, and I’m currently pursuing my Ph.D. in School Psychology at a public research 1 university in Atlanta, Georgia. This journey has been deeply meaningful and incredibly challenging—a stretch of faith, purpose, and perseverance. I’m now entering the most demanding phase of the program, and I’m reaching out to my community with openness and a hopeful heart.

In August 2022, I returned to pursue my Ph.D. after taking a much-needed sabbatical from my work as a credentialed school psychologist. Like many in helping professions, I experienced burnout and eventually, compassion fatigue. That season of rest reminded me that healing isn’t just something I support others in, but it’s something I must commit to for myself. And so, “dealing and healing” has become the core of how I’ve chosen to live and lead these past few years.

Along this doctoral journey, I’ve navigated intense grief, housing instability, the emotional toll of enduring systemic inequities in higher education, and logistical challenges, including weekly and monthly travel between Louisiana and Georgia to meet program requirements. And yet, by God’s grace and Providence and the faithful support of a few generous mentors, family, and close friends, I continue to persist.

Now, I’m standing at the beginning of the final stretch. My goals for the upcoming 2025–2026 academic year include:

• Completing and submitting my pre-dissertation manuscript (currently in progress) for possible publication

• Registering, preparing for, and passing the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology), which also fulfills my program’s comprehensive exam requirement

• Applying for doctoral internship through APPIC (a major program milestone)

• Developing and presenting my dissertation prospectus

• Continuing to grow as a scholar, teacher, and clinician committed to equity and healing

Each of these steps comes with significant costs, such as exam fees, licensing paperwork, applications fees, travel, supervision, and basic living expenses. While I’ve taken on contract work and exhausted my capacity in many ways, I’ve reached a point where I need to ask for help.

If you’ve followed my journey or believe in the power of culturally responsive, trauma-informed mental health care, I invite you to consider partnering with me during this critical season. Your support—whether financial, spiritual, or through sharing this campaign—will go directly toward:

• Licensing and exam fees (EPPP registration, application costs)

• Internship application costs (APPIC fees, transcripts, supervised hours)

• Living expenses during the academic semester (until financial aid disburses)

• Travel for practicum site visits and community-based work

• Continued research and writing support

• A small emergency cushion for stability

I know how hard it can be to ask for help, especially when, from the outside, things “look fine.” I’ve always believed in showing up with excellence, even when things feel uncertain. But excellence doesn’t mean I’ve been without struggle. It simply means I’ve kept showing up with faith, with intention, and, by God’s grace, with a naturally vulnerable heart again. Always remember, "Success is a journey." I appreciate you taking the time to read a snippet of my story.

With gratitude and strength,

Karl